Business News

BREAD & BUTTER WITH SUCCESSFUL KICK-OFF

The weather might not be the most essential aspect when giving a rundown of the world’s most significant trade show events. Still, there’s no denying the fact that the mild climes found in Berlin this winter had Bread & butter visitors sighing in relief. A bit of dampness and a few plus degrees beat last winter’s arctic temperatures and lashings of snow anytime – the upbeat mood of the jostling crowds fighting their way into the show as doors opened on Wednesday morning bore testament to that.

When visiting Bread & butter, one has come to expect nothing less then unique booth concepts, if not sheer brand showmanship. Competing for “best in show” in terms of booth execution, it’s tricky to name only but a handful of contenders, but Miss Sixty’s cartoon-like wall of multi-colored, gigantic eyes, complete with fluttering eyelashes and an uncanny blinking mechanism, was impossible to miss. Also capitalizing on the vast stretches of space that the former airport venue that is Tempelhof allows, Converse lined up an ocean of sneakers to overwhelming effect. Another attention-grabbing showcase that drew ogling crowds throughout the day was G-Star Raw’s high-tech display featuring yellow robots in action, moving merchandise like jackets and shoes from side to side.

Leaving robots and other impressive props behind, the exhibitors themselves seemed just as animated. Speaking to Italservices President, Moreno Giuriato, it became apparent that Bread & butter is not necessarily all about writing orders and showing the latest cut, but it can also function as base for PR-like causes alone. “We consider Bread & butter to be the ideal platform to highlight what Italservices is all about. We’ve previously exhibited some of the individual brands in our portfolio, but this is the first time we’ve showcased Italservices as a group, something that feels particularly relevant now when the show is back on German grounds. There’s a strong sense of business in the air in Berlin, and the audience is truly international.”

Speaking of the current location of Bread & butter, show president Karl Heinz-Müller seems adamant that the show will keep its base in the German capital: “Germany is the home of Bread & butter, and although the identity of the show is international, it will remain in Berlin indefinitely. We have a contract that stretches for years, until I hit the age of 73, to be precise.”

There it is: come snow, sun or sleet, Bread & butter is staying put in Berlin.